From the Apocrypha story, a poetical tragedy by Thomas Bailey Aldrich and the theatrical version, Holofernes (played by Henry Walthall) leads his Assyrian army against the walled Judean city of Bethulia. The Assyrians decide, after failing to penetrate the wall, to parch the Judeans into submission. Their watering place is located outside the wall. Consequently, widow Judith (played by Blanche Sweet) is inspired to save her Judeans.
This was D.W. Griffith's first feature-length film, and it has the constituents of later Griffith spectacles: poetic and theatrical traditions, romance, battle scenes and costly costume and set design. The battle scenes are distant and poorly choreographed, though. Nevertheless, the production went over budget, costing Biograph some $36,000. Accordingly, Griffith's days at Biograph ended here, and he would go on to make better and grander films.
For a film by the director who would make "The Birth of a Nation" and "Intolerance," it's surprising that in his first feature-length spectacle, it's the acting and character relationships that are the highlight. Five-feet-seven-inches Walthall manages to portray the large laggard. Griffith is cited to have said, "Well, Wally will play him tall," in defending to the studio the casting (from Schickel's Griffith biography). Sweet does just as well. I think her walking amongst in the last shot was a fitting end.
This was D.W. Griffith's first feature-length film, and it has the constituents of later Griffith spectacles: poetic and theatrical traditions, romance, battle scenes and costly costume and set design. The battle scenes are distant and poorly choreographed, though. Nevertheless, the production went over budget, costing Biograph some $36,000. Accordingly, Griffith's days at Biograph ended here, and he would go on to make better and grander films.
For a film by the director who would make "The Birth of a Nation" and "Intolerance," it's surprising that in his first feature-length spectacle, it's the acting and character relationships that are the highlight. Five-feet-seven-inches Walthall manages to portray the large laggard. Griffith is cited to have said, "Well, Wally will play him tall," in defending to the studio the casting (from Schickel's Griffith biography). Sweet does just as well. I think her walking amongst in the last shot was a fitting end.